divided offering of my heart to God; and confecrate all my time, when time was no more, to him! Therefore, Death is worthy to receive bleffing, and honour, and glory, and power." The more this error is confidered, the more monftrous its abfurdity will appear, and the greater our neceffity to prefs after holinefs through Grace: and the more need we have of being guarded against every enemy, left we be hindered in running the race which is fet before us and at laft lofe the prize, even after we have entered the lifts, and ftarted for it. To prevent this dreadful mifcarriage, go forward, from ftrength to ftrength, till ye appear before God in Zion. Slack not your pace. Fall not from your own fledfaftnefs. Avoid not only the errors of the wicked, but guard againft profeffors themfelves, when they oppofe the doctrine of holinefs. See that ye grow in grace, and in the knowledge of your Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, in all his offices, and in all his benefits and defigns. To affift you herein, "Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godlinefs, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly-kindness charity:" fo fhall you not be short-fighted, but fee afar off; and being fenfible how you were purged from your old fins, even by faith in Chrift, you fhall abound in every grace of the holy Spirit, and regain the whole image of God. And thus being prepared for the approach of that meffenger, who, though he cannot fit you for hea ven, yet is the gate you muft pafs through to the everlasting kingdom, into which an abundant entrance fhall be adminiftered to you. That you mifs not the prize, bear in mind the fad examples of unbelief noticed by St. Paul in Heb. iii. 16.-18; and attend very carefully to the inference and exhortation in the fitft verfe of the fourth chapter. Let that fear of coming fhort of the promise, (or rather promifes, for they are many,) left you, of entering into this reft of holinefs here, quicken you to diligence, in the ufe of all the means, and the full exercife of every grace, especially, faith; that it may fully appear, that you do not fo much as feem to come short of what is promifed and prepared for you. Let every day demonftrate that you are followers of those who already inherit the promises, through the uninterupted exercife of faith, and of invincible patience. Nay, you must not abate your diligence, till you have attained the full affurance of hope, which is justly fuppofed to be a higher Chriftian privilege, than even a renewal in holinefs. In fhort, you must not abate your diligence, but continue fted faft even unto the end. So fhall you, my beloved Brethren, under the influence of this gracious principle of holy fear, follow the advice of the Apostle, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthinefs of flesh and fpirit, perfecting bolinefs in the fear of God." You will find it eafy fo to leave the firft principles of the doctrine of Chrift, as not to reft in them; you will fhew, by a proper ufe of them, that you are not babes, relishing only milk; but men, who by reason of use have your fpiritual fenfes fo fó exercifed, that you can relifh and digeft the ftronger meats of the Gospel you will not naufeate advice, exhortation, entreaty, or the moft earnest preffure of every powerful argument, to per fection." You now give the fulleft evidence of your fincerity and refolution herein;. 1. By following after, that you may apprehend all that for which you are apprehended by Chrift Jefus: 2. By forgetting all that you have already known, done, and fuffered, placing no confidence or dependence therein; but determined not to stop fhort of all you are entitled to by the Blood of the Atonement. Therefore, 3. You reach out to it, as juft before you. This denotes not merely a fingle exertion, but a continuation of the act, and such an act, as amounts to the utmost effort the foul is capable of making. You will of course, 4thly, prefs towards this mark, how many and great foever the hindrances which appear in your way, may be to your attainment of it. For faithful is he, who has spoken; and he will alfo do it. Yes, my brethren, he will. The word of the Lord is true and faithful altogether. Fear ye not, only believe, and you fhall fee this glory of God. The Lord, whom ye diligently feek, will fuddenly come to his temple, even the Meffenger of the Covenant, whom you delight in: He fhall come, faith the Lord of Hofts. Your labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord but your Arength being renewed, you fhall mount up with wings as eagles; ye fhall run without wearinefs, and walk without fainting, while rejoicing evermore, praying without ceafing, and in every thing giving thanks to him, who has fhewn not only his juf tice in forgiving your fins which you confeffed to him, but alfo his faithfulness in cleanfing you from all the unrighteoufnefs you be wailed before him, who has now made you a happy witnefs that the blood of Chrift cleanfeth from all fin here, that you may fhew forth his praise for evermore. We have anticipated, in fome degree, what was intended to be advanced on the 5th and last propofition in the Application, having unawares flidden into an encouraging ftrain of addrefs to the longing foul. Yet, it may fill be ufeful to enlarge a little further upon this fubject, feeing we have need of line upon line to encourage us in the glorious purfuit; because we well know that the powers of darkness will exert their utmost efforts to hinder us from running the race fet before us.. 5. Let us then in the laft place, endeavour to encourage all who are going on to perfection.to perfevere, and to expect the bleffing now, by faith. " 1. I take it for granted, brethren, that you are of the number of thofe, who are 1. truly convinced, that, as Chriftian believers, your calling is to be perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect, to be holy as he is holy." 2. That you are fully, perfuaded, this is attainable in the prefent life. 3. That the poffeffion of it is abfolutely neceffary. And that, 4. on these convictions, you are now all in earnest for the attainment of it. VOL. XIX. April 1796. 2. As it is God who has fhewed this unto you, and has wrought you to this felf-fame purpose, you must not think it ftrange, if Sa tan fhould ftir up all the oppofition in his power against you: that he fhould try to difcourage and difmay you; yea, draw his chief artillery from quarters you had the leaft reafon to expect it from. You had not, perhaps, the leaft fufpicion of the kind: but, on the contrary, expected that all profeffors would be ready to affift you as far as in their power. Yea, you imagined they would go with you, thus to feek the Lord, and to enter into that perpetual cove nant with him, which he has engaged your hearts to do, even a covenant never to be broken or forgotten! It is true, it was natural for your fimple heart fo to conceive; and it is a great pity, you should be disappointed herein. Yet, alas! fo it is! and one would fay, "Tell it not in Gath!" that any who profefs to love Chrift, fhould be difpleafed with others, only for defiring to believe on him firmly and abundantly, and to love him conftantly and entirely even with all the heart. That any Chriftian fhould be a hinderer of fuch, is ftrange indeed! But how much more, when Christian Minifters, Preachers of the Gofpel, difcourage them; yea, and by every means in their power, depreciate the bleffing itfelf, and calumniate those who profefs to believe the attainablenefs thereof in this life. How many will affirm that there is no fuch thing to be experienced while we are in the body, and that it is mere phrenfy to dream of poffeffing fuch a liberty: They cry out, "Away with all' perfection: Let it not be named; you muft fin, while you live." All this may appear aftonishing; but it is nothing new: However, let it not difcourage you in the leaft! Persevere in your pursuit.' That you may perfevere, fearch the Scriptures. To the law and to the teftimony. If they fpeak not according to thefe, it is because they have no light in the doctrine of christian holinefs, whatever knowledge they may have of other doctrines. I You may fay in defence of fuch, "They are wife men, men of great learning." That may be: yet they are not fufficiently wife towards God. And it may be obferved, that "as no man knows the things of a man, but the fpirit of a man; fo neither knows any man the things of God, but the Spirit of God," and they to whom that fpirit reveals them. Therefore when they speak against the power and promifes of God, by no means regard them, if you intend to perfevere, for their words will eat like a Canker, and fubvert your fimple heart. Rather, fay, "Let God be true, and every man," who contradicts his word, a liar." Remember: the foundation of God ftandeth fure. He cannot deny himfelf,! but abideth faithful, though men believe him not: nor fhall their unbelief render your faith in God of none effect. No: you shall find all his promises to be yea and amen in Chrift Jefus, to you. You fhall find, if you continue to feek him, all that he has fpoken of his defigns concerning you fully anfwered. See that you be not difcouraged by the unbelief of others for fo it has been of old. You remember, that only Caleb and Jolhua, of the twelve who who went to fpie out the land of Canaan, brought a good report concerning it. Imitate thefe renowned believers. Follow the Lord wholly. Take his Word for your rule, and his Spirit for your Counsellor and Guide; fo thall you not die in the wilderness of doubts and fears, nor know, by the continuation of your miferies his breach of promife. No; you fhall be brought in o the promised land, the land of reft, "Where pure enjoyment reigns, and God is lov'd alone." Here all tormenting fear, and grief, and fin expire, caft out by perfect love, Fear not then, only go up, only perfevere; and the Lord will fight for you, and perfect his ftrength in your weakness. You fhall find his Grace fufficient, in contradiction to those who say he cannot fave to the uttermoft. O grow not weary. O look not back. The land is before you. Go ye in, and poffefs it, as God has promifed, has fworn. He, having remembered his oath and his holy covenant, has vifited you, to redeem you from all iniquity. Let not your hands hang down through manifold temptations. As your day is, fo fhall your ftrength be: No weapon that is formed against you fhall profper; and every tongue which rifeth in judgment against you, fhall be condemned. Remember what our Lord faid to James and John, when their mother folicited for them a feat in his kingdom, "Can ye drink of the cup of which I drink; and be baptized with the baptifm I am baptized with ?" As if he had faid, "This is the confequence; if you will reign with me, you must fuffer; If you mean to follow me in the regeneration, you must deny yourfelves, and take up your crofs daily. But be not afraid, I will not leave you, nor forfake you, altho' I may permit you to be tried, to prove you, and to fhew you your heart, yet when you pafs through the fire and thro' the water, even there I will be with you; the flame shall not kindle upon you, neither fhall the waters overflow you: Faint not; but run the race with patience, looking unto him who is the author, that he may be the finifher of your faith." That you may go on, expect the bleffing now. This is the accepted time, and the day of falvation; efpecially to you who are fo engaged and prepared to receive his great falvation. The Lord is nigh to all them who feek him with their whole heart. Such fhall find him a God, not afar off but at hand. When they call, he will answer: and when they cry, he will fay "Here I am." Whatever progrefs you may make in holinefs, by felf-crucifixion, and a diligent use of the means, yet the entire deliverance from every wrong temper, and renewal of the foul in love, can only be obtained by faith. While you keep this in view, you will not be difmayed on account of the great unfitnefs you perceive in yourfelf for the bleffing; nor by any difcovery made to you of the depth of your impurity; for you will be enabled to expect it only for Chrifl's fake. And you will likewife find it exceeding ufeful, to expect the bleffing now, from day to day, from hour to hour, yea, from moment to moment; whether you approach God in E 2 public public or in private, in the house or in the field, at your labour or on your knees. Thus will you have clearer discoveries of the fulness of Chrift and his all-fufficiency to fave. You will find a readiness to give up all, and to venture your foul wholly upon him, as being both able and willine now to fave you, O what fweetnefs does the foul feel in fimply confiding in the Lord for all it wants! and how foon fhall it be fatisfied. They who thus come to him, are never caft out, but fee the falvation of God. They shall be restored to the Mind which was in Chrift, and thine in his glorious Image of righteousness and true holiness. Whenever your obtain the Bleffing, and experience the sweet effects of it, (not always in extatic joys,) but a calm ferenity, which diffufes itself through your mind and is manifeft in your deportment; and, above all, an inexpreffible familiarity with God: when, you feel yourself emptied of selfishness and pride, and filled with divine peace and confolation, fee that you forget not from whom you received this grace. Still continue to believe and come unto God by Chrift just as you are, having no confidence except in him, and relying wholly upon him. Walk in Christ even as you have received him, and turn not afide to any vain reasonings. Whatever art may be tried by men, or devils, yet hold faft your confidence in the power and merits of Chrift. Continue from moment to moment thus coming to God by him, and you shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto full falvation; even to that falvation, of whofe heights, and depths, and lengths and breadths, you have at present but imperfect conceptions. But all this will Chrift reveal in due time to you who follow the Lamb wherefoever he goeth. That you may enjoy these mighty bleflings, God of his infinite mercy grant, through Jefus Christ our Lord; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be afcribed all. honour and glory, now and for ever, Amen. W The CONVERSION of a DEIST, HEN in the year 17 the university vacation approached, I had no purpose to vifit home, feveral literary occupations of fome labour requiring my prefence in college. But beyond my expectation I learned that Mifs E. was at that time in my father's neighbourhood, and, as it happened, I had a fair opportunity for the journey, After fome hesitation, at length, in defiance of not a few inconveniences, I refolved to go, I was happy to find Mifs E. in health and amiable as ever, and her affec tion for me neither changed, nor diminished. A most advan tageous.match had lately been propofed to her and the had refufed it. faw and converfed with her daily, but had few opportuni ties of fpeaking with her in private. Now and then however fuch an occafion prefenting itself, I confulted her concerning my acceptance, |